DLANC Planning 601 W 7Th St.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ATTACHMENT “A” REQUEST FOR DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL L.A.M.C. §12.24 M Chipotle Mexican Grill Store #1500 601 W. 7th St. Los Angeles Chipotle Mexican Grill (Chipotle Mexican Grill, LLC, d/b/a Chipotle Mexican Grill, (“the Applicant” and/or “Chipotle”) is seeking the following discretionary approval: Pursuant to L.A.M.C. Section 12.24 M, the Applicant requests a Plan Approval for the continued sale and/or dispensing of alcohol for on-site consumption in connection with an existing 104-seat, 3,042 s.f. restaurant with hours of operation from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, located on a 10,463 s.f. lot in the C2-4D zone. PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Applicant, Chipotle, is requesting a Plan Approval to permit the continued service of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption at its existing location at 601 W. 7th St. in Downtown Los Angeles (“Site”). Chipotle opened in March 2011, and has served beer since its opening date pursuant to Case No. ZA 2010- 2296 (CUB) ("Existing Approval"), which approved the restaurant to serve a full line of alcoholic beverages. The restaurant is 3,042 s.f. and provides 104 indoor seats. The Applicant currently holds a type 41 ABC license (beer and wine), but would continue to like the operational flexibility to upgrade the license in order to add margaritas to its offerings at a future date. The request herein is only a renewal and is purely operational in nature. The Applicant believes that its request for a Plan Approval for the continued service of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption along with meals at its “fast casual” Mexican-style restaurant is warranted based upon the company’s outstanding record of compliance with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverages (“ABC”), the appropriateness of the location for the requested use, and its overall reputation as a well-established, responsible company which can be trusted to manage the requested ABC license appropriately. In terms of this location specifically, the Applicant has operated without incident since it opened. THE APPLICANT The Applicant owns and operates more than 1,900 restaurants throughout the United States, Canada, and overseas, and is rapidly expanding its brand. The Applicant attributes its tremendous growth rate since it opened its first location in 1993 on its vision for its restaurants. The idea is simple: demonstrate that customers could be served good quality food in a distinctive atmosphere--quickly and at an affordable price point. Chipotle uses high-quality raw ingredients, classic cooking methods and distinctive interior design-- features that are more frequently found in the world of fine dining. The Applicant essentially established the category of dining now called "fast-casual," the fastest growing segment of the restaurant industry, where customers expect food quality that's more in line with full-service restaurants, but with the speed and convenience of fast food. As the company has grown, the Applicant’s vision has evolved as well. Several years ago, the Applicant launched a campaign to incorporate a concern for the environmental and societal impact of its restaurants into its business model. Features of this model, which the Applicant calls “Food with Integrity,” include a commitment to high-quality food, sustainable business practices, charitable giving, and responsible 1 Plan Approval Chipotle Mexican Grill Store # 1500 601 W. 7th St. sourcing of animal products. This philosophy is part of an overall commitment to running a business which has a positive impact on its employees, its patrons, its environmentally minded vendors and suppliers, and the communities in which its restaurants are located. Certainly practices designed to ensure appropriate training and management practices related to sales of alcoholic beverage products are an important feature of Chipotle’s corporate philosophy. Indeed, the Applicant has an outstanding record of compliance with the California ABC and parallel regulatory agencies wherever its restaurants are located. THE SITE The subject property is a level, irregularly-shaped parcel of land, consisting of approximately 0.8 acres and located in the C2-4D zone. The site is situated along the corner on the west side of Grand Avenue from Wilshire Boulevard to 7th Street. The subject restaurant is on the ground floor of a high rise office building in the Financial Core district in Downtown Los Angeles that contains other commercial spaces. Specifically, it is located in the southerly portion of the building which is developed with a two-story, multi- tenant commercial building that extends along 7th Street and Grand Avenue. Chipotle is located at the north corner of Grand Avenue and 7th Street. The subject restaurant is 3,247 square feet, has 104 indoor seats, and does not have any patio seating. Parking for the entire building is located on-site in a subterranean parking garage and is accessed by a two-way driveway along Wilshire Boulevard located at the northwest corner of the building. A second driveway along Wilshire Boulevard, located to the east of the entry/exit driveway associated with the parking garage, provides access to the building's loading dock. Property to the north across Wilshire Boulevard is zoned C2-4D and is developed with a seven-story office building. Property to the south, across 7th Street is zoned C2-4D and developed with a seven- story office building. The property to the east, across Grand Avenue, is zoned C2-4D and developed with a seven- story office building. The site to the northeast of the subject property is likewise zoned C2- 4D and is developed with a surface parking area on the southerly portion and a 27-story office building on the northerly portion of the property. The adjoining properties to the west are zoned C2-4D and developed with multi-story, mixed use buildings with an office tower located on the more northerly property (fronting Wilshire Boulevard). REQUEST/OPERATIONAL DETAILS In terms of the request for the within Plan Approval to allow continued service of alcoholic beverages, the service of these items is typically a very small component of Chipotle’s business. The Applicant’s desire for the requested Plan Approval is because its experience here and at its other locations—over 1,900 worldwide--is that its customers appreciate having the ability to enjoy beer and margaritas with their meals. The ability to offer these items is an important component of Chipotle’s business model, and is one of various features that help distinguish it from other casual dining venues. The Applicant’s hours of operation have been 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. daily with coterminous hours of alcohol sales. The Applicant has begun opening its restaurants at 10:30 a.m. and would like to do so at this location. The Applicant believes that the hours are modest, and that they are consistent with or less extensive than surrounding uses. The total number of employees at this location is 25, and approximately 12 employees are on-premises during any given shift. 2 Plan Approval Chipotle Mexican Grill Store # 1500 601 W. 7th St. ATTACHMENT “B” REQUEST FOR DISCRETIONARY APPROVAL PLAN APPROVAL FOR THE CONTINUED SALE OF A FULL LINE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR ON-SITE CONSUMPTION WITH A RESTAURANT L.A.M.C. §12.24 M Chipotle Mexican Grill Store # 1500 601 W. 7th St., Los Angeles A. General Conditional Use i. That the project will enhance the built environment in the surrounding neighborhood or will perform a function or provide a service that is essential or beneficial to the community, city, or region. The Applicant’s request for Approval of Plans to permit the continued sale of a full line of alcohol service at its restaurant will perform a function or provide a service that is essential or beneficial to the community, city or region. In terms of it enhancing the built environment, the Applicant will not be making any physical changes to the existing improvements. However, the restaurant and its signage were designed to be attractive, visually dynamic, and inviting, and to fit in with the restaurant’s surroundings within the Downtown Los Angeles area. Currently, the restaurant serves beer but would like to retain the ability to upgrade its ABC license from a type 41 to a type 47 should it wish to serve pre-mixed margaritas at this location at a future time. The site is located on the ground floor of a mixed use office building on Grand Avenue located between Wilshire Boulevard and 7th Street in Downtown Los Angeles. The subject site is in the Financial Core, an intense, mixed use district developed predominantly with mid- and high-rise office buildings containing a variety of ground floor commercial uses. The restaurant adds to the range of goods and services that can be accessed in the area by a large office population as well as a growing residential base in neighboring Downtown districts such as the Historic Core, Bunker Hill and South Park. Its façade has been designed to complement the interior as well as these other uses. The Applicant believes that its restaurants have a positive impact on the neighborhoods in which they are located because of the company’s progressive corporate philosophy, the attractive physical design of its restaurants, its sophisticated customer base, and the health-conscious food it serves. The Applicant’s ability to offer its customers beer and potentially margaritas to enjoy with their Mexican- style cuisine is an important part of its business model. There is a demand for such products, and the ability to obtain them in a well-designed, responsibly managed environment at the price point at which Chipotle offers meal service is beneficial to the community.